Now let’s get one thing straight: I am not a Santa Claus groupie. I can tell you the exact spot upon which I was standing in downtown Ruston when I overheard my mother make a rather disparaging remark about Old St. Nick that’s stuck with me ever since.

I was probably 10 years old. Mama and I were on the sidewalk at the corner of North Trenton Street and West Park Avenue watching the Christmas parade when she turned to one of her friends and nonchalantly questioned how Santa could do all the things Santa does.

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